Electric cigar lighter



Jan. 4, 1944. E ASHTQ ETAL, 2,338,565.'

ELECTRIC C IGAR LIGHTER Filed June m, 1941 :s 'shets-sheet 1 ma H m1111111 1 ,1

Jan. 4, 1944. P E, VASHTQN AL 2,338,565

ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER Filed June 27, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 s mmwwjwl.

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Patented Jan. 4, 1944 ELECTRIC CIGAR LIGHTER Philip E. Ashton and Edward Fowler, Meriden, Conn.; said Fowler assigner to said Ashton n Application June 27., 1941, Serial No. 400,004

(Cl. 21S- 32) 6 Claims.

Our invention relates to what are frequently termed cordless lighters and especially to those having automatic latching and unlatching devices.

One object is to provide a construction which is simple, reliable and inexpensive.

Another object is to provide a device having a detachable plug of rugged construction.

Another object is to provide a device which is unlikely to be overheated and burned out.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the insulating member controlling the angular relationship between the socket perforations and the thermostatic contact arms is placed outside the socket so as to protect it from the heat of the heating member.

The socket or stationary part of the device adapted to be secured to a suitable support is tubular in form, closed at the rear and open at the front and usually grounded. In the rear is mounted a set of spring contact arms preferably of bimetal with latch tips insulated from the tubular member and electrically connected to the ungrounded side of the battery. The removable plug has a hollow body which fits readily into the tubular socket and abuts against a part thereof at a denite predetermined position where it is preferably held by a spring catch. A central shaft or rod is slidably mounted in the body of the plug and has a knob at its outer end and an igniter unit at its inner end adapted to interlock with the contact arms in the socket when the knob is pushed in. A helical spring is mounted in the plug body around the central rod and serves to retract the igniter unit when the thery.

mostatic latch releases it.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device involving one form of our invention, the parts being in the normal open circuit or idle position and the socket bein-g interlocked with or secured directly to a panel.

Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view but showing the igniter unit latched with the bimetal thermostatic contacts for heating.

Fig. 3 is an exploded side and sectional View of the main parts of the plug. y

Fig. 4 is a. longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of our invention, the parts being in the idle or open circuit position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the igniter unit in the heating position.

Fig. 6 is a section and side view showing another iorm of device for securing the socket to a supporting panel.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred form of the invention, the parts being in the open circuit position.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the socket and its plug separated.

Fig. 9 is a front end View looking into the socket.

Fig. 10 is a rear end view of the socket.

Fig. 11 is a side and sectional View of plug parts separated.

Fig. 12 is a rear View of the socket terminal disc contact.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the socket I0 is suitably supported at one end for instance by an instrument panel I I and contains the thermostatic spring contact arms I2 which are insulated from it and has a terminal I3 connected to the arms. The panel and socket may be grounded. The socket has one or more stop lugs I4 serving as abutments for the tubular member I5 of the plug which is resiliently held by a spring detent I6 integral with the socket Wall so as to prevent accidental removal of the plug from the socket.

The plug body is formed of the tubular part I5 and the end discs I1 and I8. The former is integral with the part I5 and the latter is slidable inside of it, being held in by an inturned flange 2U after the spring I9 is inserted and the parts are assembled. The groove 2| is located in the proper position with respect to the catch I6 so as to hold the plug in its predetermined position at all times and prevent rattling or accidental disengagement of the plug from the socket.

The igniter unit 22 maybe of the usual cup-like form containing a resistance ribbon spiral coil 23 having one end welded to the rim of the cup and the inner end secured to the stud 24. This stud is preferably removably secured to the cen- `tral shaft or rod 25 which is slidably mounted lin the bearing sleeve 26 in the tubular body.

The knob 21 is detachably connected to the shaft 25 and thus secures the igniter unit to the plug body. The inner projection 28 may serve as an abutment for the disc i8 to limit the inward thrust of the igniter unit'and thus avoid damage lto the contact arms by vforced spreading when the igniter cup is pushed in as might occur were there no stop or abutment to limit it.

Normally the circuit is open but when the knob and igniter are pushed inward the outer wall of the igniter cup engages the contact fingers I2 and closes the circuit through I3, I2, 22, 23, 24, 25, Il to Iii. When the contact arms I2 are properly shaped they will act as catches to hold the igniter in the closed circuit position.

When the bimetal arms I2 have been warped sufciently by the action of the heat from the igniter they will release the igniter rim and permit the spring I9 to retract the igniter unit. If the igniter unit is held in by manual pressure against the `bias oi' the spring, no damage will occur since the bimetal arms will simply warp away from the igniter and break the circuit. When the arms have cooled oi sufficiently they will re-engage the igniter cup and close the circuit repeating the cycle of opening and closing the circuit as long as the igniter unit is held in but never allowing the circuit to remain closed long enough to burn out the coil.

The socket may be held in the panel by lugs 29 as set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 2,113,535 or by means of a sleeve screwed onto a threaded part 3| of the socket as shown in Fig. 6.

The socket may have ventilation and inspection holes 32 and the clampsleeve 3G (if used) may have openings 33.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the plug body is formed of a tube 35 with end pieces 36 and 31 held together by a central tube 38 whose ends are anged over. This tube 38 serves as a bearing or guide for the central shaft 25 which carries the igniter unit 22 at one end and the knob 27 at the other. The spring 39 is housed in the plug body between the inner part of the end piece 36 and the washer 4i.) at the end of the knob. This spring is made helico-spiral in form so as to permit it to collapse to a minimum thickness and thus economize space.

The operation of this form is the same as that of the rst. When the igniter is pushed in current flows from the grounded socket lug I4 to the plug body, the central shaft 25, the stud 211, the resistance coil 23, the igniter cup 22 and the bimetal Contact arms I 2 to terminal I3.

The preferred form is shown on sheet three where the socket I@ is preferably grounded and the screw piece I3 constitutes the other circuit terminal.

The plug body I5 is formed of a metallic tube, the inner end of which is integrally formed as a flange I'I and the outer edge 2B is turned or spun as in the form of sheet one. The plug carries the igniter cup 22 with its spiral resistance ribbon 23 at the inner end and has a knob 2'I at the 'f' outer end of any suitable design and material. The plug has a groove 2| for the socket detent I5 which interlocks in the groove to hold the plug in position in the socket and prevent it from jarring or jumping out. The socket may `be secured f` in the usual panel (not shown) in any suitable manner as for instance by means of a clamp ring (not shown) screwed onto the segmental screw threads behind the panel. The socket constituting one circuit terminal has one or more stop lugs I4 forming a seat or seats for the plug body which slides into the socket and contacts therewith. The other electrical contact is effected when the igniter is pushed inwardly to engage the contact members carried by the terminal I5 in the base of the socket.

The sheet metal disc 45 has outwardly flaring contact arms 4'I to be engaged by the periphery of the igniter cup 22. rhis disc 45 is mounted on the inner end of the terminal i3 and the latter is supported by the socket Ill but insulated from the socket by two washers 48 and 48. notches 49 in its edge which fit snugly on bosses 50 in the rear end of the socket. Carrier disc 45 has lugs 5I which extend freely through holes 52 Washer 48 has (Without touching the socket) and are positioned in notches 53 in the insulating carrier washer 48. A number of latch arms 54 preferably formed of thermostatic or bimetal have feet 5 which are welded to the disc 45. A metal Washer 55 overlies the inner ends of these latches and the Darts are permanently united to the screw terminal I3 by riveting over the end 56 so that the disc 43 with the attached contact arms and washer 55 are clamped securely between the collar 5l' and the upset end 55. The washer 48 may be formed of mica or other suitable material. The washer 38 is preferably formed of some strong insulating material such as fabric reinforced Bakelite so that it will withstand the stresses to which it is subjected when in use. This washer is preferably set into recess or countersunk portion 52 in the rear of the socket and the terminal screw I3 and attached contact member are secured by one or more clamp nuts 59.

This arrangement ensures perfect electrical connection between the igniter member and the contacts in the socket when the igniter is pushed in. The plug member has a cup 50 which is secured to the igniter cup and to the inner end of the heater coil 25 by a stud 20." but insulated from the igniter cup. rlhis cup 35 is slidable and rotatable in the guide-way 5l in the inner end of the plug body. The knob 2 is mounted on a screw stud 52 which is carried by an insulating disc secured in the rim cf a cup 62. The two latter members may have interlocking lugs and notches 5d and to prevent relative rotation. A stud 55 is riveted the bottom of the member 54 and frictionally supports the spring jaws 65 which are secured in the guide cup 55 of the igniter unit. This is intended to represent one way of mounting the igniter in the plug. The cup Gil is a sliding it in the tubular body I5 of the plug. The insulating washer G3 serves to thermally insulate the knob from the igniter. The cup 5d being connected only to the rim of the washer 53 minimizes heat transference. The spring l5 engages the rim of the cup E4 and is .5 preferably helico-conical so that its smaller end engages an insulating washer El around the guide flange 6i. In this way a maximum freedom of movement is afforded and at the same time all of the parts tend to be centered when the igniter is pushed in and thus produce a perfect contact.

By this construction it is possible to secure the effect of an automatic latch and release action and it is also possible to secure a relight by holding the igniter in even when the bimetal latch arms are still expanded and incapable of holding the igniter in closed circuit position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the improved cigar lig ter presents marked economies over lighters in common use by reason of the reduction in the number of parts and amount of insulating material employed in the plug body shell.. Also it is very simple to hold the improved plug body shell to dimensions. Furthermore the process ol' manufacture and assembly has been simplified and made uniform thereby reducing the cost of manufacture.

We claim:

l.. A cordless cigar lighter plug having a hollow body composed of an insulating sleeve with two end members united by a central eyelet and formed with a chamber in one end, a shaft reciprocable in said eyelet and chamber, an igniter unit carried bythe inner end of the shaft, a kncb cn the cuter end of the shaft for pushing the igniter unit inwardly and a spring in the chamber of said body with one end seated against one of said end members for retracting the shaft and the igniter unit and knob while the plug body stands still.

2. A cigar lighter plug comprising a tubular metallic body having one end closed and formed with a central passage, a cup-like member slidable in said passage, an igniter unit carried by said cup-like member, a cup-like member at the other end of the tubular body and slidable in said body, a thermal insulating washe1` having its edge secured to the edge of the latter cuplike member, a knob secured to said washer and central connecting means between said cup-like members.

3. A cigar lighter plug consisting of a hollow tubular body portion having an inturned flange portion at one end terminating in a central sleeve portion extending inwardly and longitudinally of the body portion and forming a bearing portion and one wall of a housing, an inturned flange at the opposite end of said body portion, a shaft member reciprocable centrally through said body portion and having a sliding t with said sleeve, an igniter unit xed to one end of said shaft and projecting radially thereof, a knob on the opposite end of said shaft and having an inner flange portion projecting radially of the shaft and a helico-spiral spring housed between the outer wall of Said hollow body portion and said central sleeve and having one end seated against the first named body flange and its other end seated against the knob iiange whereby movement of the shaft relative to the hollow body is resisted, said first named body flange portion PrO- truding radially beyond thevrim of the igniter unit for engagement with a stationary portion of a socket to limit inward movement into the socket, said knob flange being in the path of movement of the shaft in one direction to limit its movement in that direction relative to the hollow body.

4. A cigar lighter plug comprising a tubular sheet metal body having a tubular guide-way in its inner end and a guide-way in its outer end surrounded by an inturned flange, a movable igniter unit comprising a resistance heater, a cup carried thereby and movably guided in said tubular guide-way, a movable insulating disc guided in the outer end of the body, a knob secured to said disc, a cup-like carrier member secured to the insulating disc, a connecting member between said carrier member and said cup secured to the igniter resistance and a spring between the inner end of the tubular body and the cup-like carrier member.

5. A removable member for a wireless cigar lighter comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion having a closure plate fixed to one end thereof, said closure plate having a central opening therein, and having a flange portion extending inwardly from said opening, a shaft reciprocable in said body portion, a cup-like member carried by said shaft and slidable through said central opening and adapted to engage said flange portion for guiding the movement of said shaft, a heating element carried at one end of said shaft, a cup-like member carried by the other end of said shaft and in slidable engagement with the wall of the body portion for guiding its movement and an actuating knob connected to said latter cup-like member.

6. A removable member for a wireless cigar lighter comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion having a closure plate xed to one end there.. of, said closure plate having a central opening therein, and having a iiange portion extending inwardly from said opening, a shaft reciprocable in said body portion, a cup-like member carried by said shaft and slidable through said central opening and adapted to engage said flange portion for guiding the movement of said shaft, a heating element carried at one end of said shaft, a cup-like member carried by the other end of said shaft. and in slidable engagement with the wall of the body portion for guiding its movement, an actuating knob connected to said latter cup-like member and a helical spring having one end seated against said closure plate and its other end impinging against Said latter cup-like member for restoring the parts to normal position.

PHILIP E. ASHTON. EDWARD FOWLER. 

